1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shutter assemblies.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Shutter assemblies are often selected as the window treatment of choice for homes. Shutters may also be used to dress a screen door or any other fenestration in a building that includes a glass or window. Plastic shutter assemblies serve as an alternative to conventional wooden shutter assemblies. The cheaper costs, durability and varying options associated with plastic shutter assemblies make such products preferable to wooden shutters for many customers.
While plastic shutters may be cheaper than wooden shutters, plastic shutters according to the prior art do require a plurality of parts for assembly and operation. The visibly higher number of parts creates an overall appearance of a cheaper imitation product and thus imparts a sense of lower quality to the consumer.
Though plastic shutters may be less expensive and longer lasting than wooden shutters, many customers still prefer wooden shutters primarily on the basis of the look and feel of wooden shutters. Plastic shutters in the prior art look and feel, quite simply, plastic due to the visible plurality of components, such as protruding louver and stile end caps, and strips of components clipped together like LEGO® parts. And, many such shutters in the prior art are much lighter than wooden shutters which give these products a cheaper feel. Since it is generally known that wooden shutters are more expensive and thus considered high end, customers naturally prefer that anyone who encounters their plastic shutters would not be able to tell the difference.
Therefore, plastic shutters that more closely resemble wooden shutters in both look and feel, while having reduced costs and complexities, would be highly desirable.